For the head of Alibaba, the new US president is "open minded" and is "listening." For some, his "populist style" and "protectionism" are a source of concern. The US spent globalisation money in wars. Ma’s proposal for small and medium-sized US companies selling on Alibaba could create a million jobs.
Davos (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Jack Ma, executive chairman of Alibaba, China’s big e-commerce company, is convinced that there will be no trade war between China and the United States despite some of Donald Trump's statements during the US presidential campaign.
With respect to the US president-elect, who takes office tomorrow, he said to “Give Trump some time" since “He’s open minded” and “listening."
Speaking before a panel at the meeting of business and political leaders in Davos, Ma said that “China and (the) US will never have a trade war”.
During the election campaign Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Chinese products that affect US jobs and has accused China of being a "currency manipulator", i.e. keeping the value of the yuan low to improve the competitiveness of Chinese exports in world markets.
Trump also said that he did not feel bound by the One-China policy, and provoked Beijing’s ire by speaking on the phone with Taiwanese President Tsai Ying-wen.
Recently, experts and analysts have expressed concerns about Trump’s "populist style" and "protectionism", which may undermine free trade.
Even Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke in defence of globalisation at the opening of the Davos Forum. China's economy is heavily depended on exports to the West, especially the United States.
Imposing tariffs on China's products could deal a heavy blow to the country's industries.
Jack Ma pointed out that the problem is not globalisation, from which the US made "tonnes of money", but the way in which the money was spent, without spreading the wealth in society.
“In the past 30 years, America has had 13 wars at a cost of US.2 trillion,” he said.
“What if they had spent part of that money on building up their infrastructure, helping white-collar and blue-collar workers?”
Last week Ma met Trump (picture 2) offering to help small and medium-sized US companies sell their products via Alibaba.
According to Ma this could create about a million jobs in the United States.